New Zealand and Bulldogs winger Matt Utai said yesterday that
Sydney Rooster Adrian Morley had hit him "flush on the chin" last
Friday, splitting the inside of his mouth open against his bottom
teeth.

Second-rower Morley's challenge on Utai during the Roosters'
29-16 win over the Bulldogs at Telstra Stadium has been the game's
main talking point since, with the Briton escaping a charge,
despite having been sent off.

After the Kiwis trained at Gold Coast Stadium yesterday, Utai
said he had no opinion on whether Morley should have been charged
but rejected suggestions he took a "dive" to get a penalty.

An unrepentant Morley, meanwhile, last night claimed it was
common for players to dive in the hope of gaining penalties.

"It's very disappointing ... just the way the players stay down
as if they are injured and they get up and take the first drive in
the set of six," Morley told Channel Seven.

"I don't think that's very good sportsmanship. You know I
certainly wouldn't do it. It's not in the spirit of the game."

Of his sending off, Morley said: "I thought it was a hard call.
That's why the Roosters signed me, for my aggressive style."

Utai also revealed that an injury to his right ankle was so
serious he would be ruled out for a year next time he hurt it, and
added that "it could happen tomorrow".

The 23-year-old dynamo trained without strapping on the ankle
yesterday but that was for the same reason he was wearing the
multi-coloured "dunce" T-shirt - he was late from his hotel room.
Utai said he was treating every game as if it might be his last for
a year, because the injury was just one knock away from needing a
reconstruction.

"I've got a hole in my ankle, two bones just grinding away at
each other, causing a bigger hole," he said. "It is going to get
worse. I'll just keep playing till it breaks down, then just sit
out 12 months, sit back and relax, I guess. You never know, it
could happen tomorrow."

Utai said he had been battling the problem since 2002 and had
been told last October he would need a full reconstruction next
time he exacerbated it.

"The [Bulldogs'] doctor knows, the physio knows," he said. "I
just want to go out there and have fun playing with the boys. The
last thing I want to think about is my ankle breaking down."

While the Kiwis trained in sweltering conditions at Carrara,
Australia held an unlisted morning session at Southport Tigers
Stadium. Officials said it had been inadvertently omitted from the
media schedule.

They said all the players who missed Monday's training - Steve
Price (niggling injuries), Ben Kennedy (thumb/knee) and Jason Ryles
(knee) - had completed the session. Kennedy was not at an afternoon
coaching clinic; nor were several members of the coaching, training
and physiotherapy staff.

Coach Wayne Bennett and the rest of the squad helped launch the
"Kids To Kangaroos" development program for the year, with ARL
development manager and former NBL chief executive Bill Palmer the
master of ceremonies.

Dogs winger Jamaal Lolesi may be a shock choice as goalkicker
for the Kiwis. He kicked in last November's Test match against
France and, as coach Daniel Anderson recalled, "did his quad
kicking off the second half".

Lolesi said he hadn't been a regular kicker since under-16s and
would ring fellow Bulldog Hazem El Masri for advice.

Halfback Thomas Leuluai had his first run with the Kiwis after
arriving from Britain on Monday night, admitting afterwards that he
would have preferred to join Parramatta this season - but was now
tempted to stay with London.

"The Warriors gave me a release but their release was that I
could only go to a club in Super League, which is, I think,
unfair," he said. "But you've just got to roll with it."

Leuluai is a free agent next year but the London lifestyle is a
strong lure. "It's a great city, footy's not so full-on, you get
back to really enjoying your footy," he said.